[BUG] Memory leak/memory not released after blob gets downloaded

[eusebiu]

Library name and version

Azure.Storage.Blobs 12.23.0

Describe the bug

After downloading a blob, the memory is not released.

Expected behavior

Memory gets released.

Actual behavior

Memory is not released.

Reproduction Steps

Reproduction steps:

1. run the code below
2. notice the memory (see picture)

Code sample:
Console1.csproj

<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">

  <PropertyGroup>
    <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
    <TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>
    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
  </PropertyGroup>

  <ItemGroup>
    <PackageReference Include="Azure.Storage.Blobs" Version="12.23.0" />
  </ItemGroup>

</Project>

Program.cs

using Azure.Storage.Blobs;
using Azure.Storage;

internal class Program
{
	const string ServiceUrl = "https://modxdev.blob.core.windows.net/";
	const string AccountName = "modxdev";
	const string AccountKey = "<the account key>";

	static BlobServiceClient _CreateBlobServiceClient(string connectionString) => new BlobServiceClient(connectionString);

	static BlobServiceClient _CreateBlobServiceClient(string url, string username, string password)
		=> new BlobServiceClient(new Uri(url), new StorageSharedKeyCredential(username, password));

	public static BlobServiceClient CreateBlobServiceClient(string connectionString, string username, string password)
	{
		return string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(username) || string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(password) ?
						_CreateBlobServiceClient(connectionString) : _CreateBlobServiceClient(connectionString, username, password);
	}

	public static BlobContainerClient CreateContainerClient(string connectionString, string containerName, string username, string password)
	{
		var blobServiceClient = CreateBlobServiceClient(connectionString, username, password);
		BlobContainerClient containerClient = blobServiceClient.GetBlobContainerClient(containerName);
		containerClient.CreateIfNotExists();
		return containerClient;
	}

	public static async Task<byte[]?> DownloadBlobContainerItemAsync(string connectionString, string containerName, string name, string username = null, string password = null)
	{
		BlobContainerClient containerClient = CreateContainerClient(connectionString, containerName, username, password);

		BlobClient blobClient = containerClient.GetBlobClient(name);
		using var stream = new MemoryStream();
		await blobClient.DownloadToAsync(stream);
		return stream.ToArray();
	}

	private static async Task Main(string[] args)
	{
		Console.WriteLine("Starting downloading large file (~120MB)...");
	
		await StartDownload();

		Console.WriteLine("Press any key to exit... The memory should be released!");

		Console.ReadKey();
	}

	private static async Task StartDownload()
	{
		var buffer = await DownloadBlobContainerItemAsync(ServiceUrl, "a16ba20e-2c85-4f64-ab85-08dd4173a63f", "output.json", AccountName, AccountKey);
		Console.WriteLine("Buffer is unused, so it should be released after the code flow exists this method...");
	}
}

Environment

Windows 11 Enterprise, Microsoft Visual Studio Enterprise 2022 (64-bit) - Current Version 17.12.4, dotnet 9

dotnet --info
.NET SDK:
Version: 9.0.102
Commit: cb83cd4923
Workload version: 9.0.100-manifests.4a54b1a6
MSBuild version: 17.12.18+ed8c6aec5

Runtime Environment:
OS Name: Windows
OS Version: 10.0.22631
OS Platform: Windows
RID: win-x64
Base Path: C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk\9.0.102\

.NET workloads installed:
[maccatalyst]
Installation Source: VS 17.12.35707.178
Manifest Version: 18.1.9163/9.0.100
Manifest Path: C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk-manifests\9.0.100\microsoft.net.sdk.maccatalyst\18.1.9163\WorkloadManifest.json
Install Type: Msi

[ios]
Installation Source: VS 17.12.35707.178
Manifest Version: 18.1.9163/9.0.100
Manifest Path: C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk-manifests\9.0.100\microsoft.net.sdk.ios\18.1.9163\WorkloadManifest.json
Install Type: Msi

[android]
Installation Source: VS 17.12.35707.178
Manifest Version: 35.0.7/9.0.100
Manifest Path: C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk-manifests\9.0.100\microsoft.net.sdk.android\35.0.7\WorkloadManifest.json
Install Type: Msi

[aspire]
Installation Source: VS 17.12.35707.178
Manifest Version: 8.2.2/8.0.100
Manifest Path: C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk-manifests\8.0.100\microsoft.net.sdk.aspire\8.2.2\WorkloadManifest.json
Install Type: Msi

[maui-windows]
Installation Source: VS 17.12.35707.178
Manifest Version: 9.0.14/9.0.100
Manifest Path: C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk-manifests\9.0.100\microsoft.net.sdk.maui\9.0.14\WorkloadManifest.json
Install Type: Msi

Configured to use loose manifests when installing new manifests.

Host:
Version: 9.0.1
Architecture: x64
Commit: c8acea2262

.NET SDKs installed:
9.0.102 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]

.NET runtimes installed:
Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 6.0.36 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.App]
Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 8.0.12 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.App]
Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 9.0.1 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.App]
Microsoft.NETCore.App 6.0.36 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
Microsoft.NETCore.App 8.0.12 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
Microsoft.NETCore.App 9.0.1 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App 6.0.36 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App]
Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App 8.0.12 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App]
Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App 9.0.1 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App]

Other architectures found:
x86 [C:\Program Files (x86)\dotnet]
registered at [HKLM\SOFTWARE\dotnet\Setup\InstalledVersions\x86\InstallLocation]

[github-actions]

Thanks for the feedback! We are routing this to the appropriate team for follow-up. cc @xgithubtriage.

[eusebiu]

Adding a GC.Collect() does not help...